Frozen Roses
by kisafa
Summary: Seiko Muramba is told news that could make or break her life. What happens when the coldest man alive is forced to wed the firey luitenant of squad 13? Byakuya/OC
1. Frozen Roses

The office was quiet except for the sound of pen on paper. My hand was cramping from hours of sighning the same name over and over again: Seiko Muramba. After about the seven thousandth signature, I sighed and glanced up at my captain to see if he was getting any headway with all of this paperwork. The captain of the 13th division was hard at work with a look of boredom that described how I felt about these papers. We had been sitting here doing hours upon hours of signing: injury records, incident reports, memos from the head captain...anything and everything that needed a signature.

We were so far behind on all of the paperwork due to Captain Ukitake undergoing hospitalization for an attack two weeks ago, and had only just gotten back. As his appointed doctor, I, too, had to be out of work to be with him. That led up to this moment...as we continued signing...

"Captain, do you think we could give it a break? My hand is cramping, and yours must be too." I whined, tired of the empty silence and being held to my thoughts of how much I hated my job right now. I wasn't one to complain often, but by glancing at the clock, I calculated that we had been working for at least a good four or five hours. Captain Ukitake looked up from his work, then glanced at the only remaining stack of papers we had left to do. It would probably take an hour to finish.

"Seiko, you know we have to finish, and there's not that much left..."

"But captain, we've been at it forever! Can't we take a five minute break and perhaps get some food?" My stomach sent a growl, agreeing with the proposal. Captain Ukitake chuckled into his fist, causing his bangs to fall into his face more than they did normally. After a moment, he nodded,

"Fine. But only five minutes. Head Captain wants all these in by the end of the day."

The moment Captain Ukitake gave me the 'okay' to leave, I flash-stepped my way out of that office. It felt so cramped being surrounded by mound after mound of paper. It was like an intimidating paper-monster was hovering over my shoulder...

I shuddered as winter's' cold nipped my nose. The snow this time of year was beautiful, but damn did it feel terrible once you got out in the middle of it. I bundled my arms deeper into the sleeves of my robes and raced through the snow, half-blinded by the light that reflected from its icey surface. It wasn't until I ran face first into someone did I even notice that I wasn't alone in this ice-storm. I should have seen him, I really should have, but...I guess my mind was too occupied by that damn cold!

"I'm sorry!" I scrambled to say, landing myself ass-first in freezing snow. My breath stopped momentarily as I caught sight of long dark locks and angled features, "C-captain Kuchiki?" Byakuya Kuchiki was definitely a man to look out for. His face was pale and angular, showing off high cheekbones and a pointed jaw line. His arms were large and muscular, as was most of his body (or what I could see through his robes). His long hair grew pitch black and as shiny as the snow I was now sitting in. His gaze was as cold as it, too.

"You should watch where you're going, Lieutenant Muramba. You'll never know who you might run into." Even with the icey words, Captain Kuchiki's voice was a melody. I internally shook myself, taking the time to gather my thoughts and stand up.

"I-i'm sorry! I didn't see you there. Are you alright?" Captain Kuchiki just gazed at me, as if examining my entire being. His lips curled into what I could only hope was a smirk, "So, I assume you havn't heard the news."

"What news?"

"If you don't already know, than it's not my liberty to say," Captain Kuchiki replied, even colder than before. His voice sent shivers down my spine, "I have a feeling we'll see each other again quite soon, Lieutenant." With that, he vanished into the awaited beginnings of a blizzard, leaving me quite speechless.


	2. The Note

Byakuya grimaced as he walked through the cold white-covered world. He hated snow. It was too bothersome and bland for his taste. He preferred spring, when the trees would flourish and the animals would peek their heads from hibernation beds; however, he would never voice this opinion. No one except his beautiful departed Hasana would ever be able to become close enough to get this piece of information out of Byakuya.

He thought carefully about all that had been revealed today...and of his meeting with Lieutenant Seiko. That was a shock. It just seemed too ironic.

Seiko returned not too long after her 'allotted' five minutes had passed, trying to not only obey the Captain's orders, no matter how carefree they were given, but to also check in on his health. Since the attack weeks before, his coughing spells were growing closer and closer together and became longer and more violent. That worried Captain Unohana because the cold of winter was perfect striking time for a more serious, life-threatening attack to happen, and with his health just below par, Seiko was supposed to keep a keen eye out for any impairments in Ukitake's daily routine.

"I'm back!" Seiko called, however it was unnecessary as Kiyone and Sentarou, Captain Ukitake's third seats, had already began chanting her name and announcing her arrival.

"The Lieutenant's back!" Sentarou called, stacking up and stapling the signed papers on Seiko's desk before putting them into a box to be carried to the Head Captain's office later that day.

"It's good to see you, Lieutenant!" Kiyone said happily, doing the same at the Captain's desk.

"No way! I was going to tell the Lieutenant that it was good to see her!" Sentarou retorted, angling his eyes in frustration, preparing to fight Kiyone for the Lieutenant's good graces.

"Well, I did it first!" Kiyone challenged.

"No fair!"

"Yes fair!"

"Enough!" Seiko practically shrieked. She had worked with the pair for quite some time, but she never got used to the way they always bickered about everything, especially if the Captain was around. Ukitake just sat in his chair, smiling with his goofy boyish grin, and watching the scene unfold. "I'm glad you find this funny, Captain, because quite frankly, I find it annoying as hell!" Ukitake just chuckled before standing and making a 'shoo' motion towards Kiyone and Sentarou,

"Okay, guys. That's enough. Give us some space so that I can talk to my Lieutenant alone." A chorus of 'uuuugh's rang from the couple's throats, but they obeyed anyway, leaving the room and shutting the door behind them.

"What do you need to talk to me for? Are you feeling well?" Seiko placed the back of her hand on Captain Ukitake's forehead, "Oh, wow, you do seem a little warm. When was the last time you took your medicine?" Ukitake kindly brushed her hand away and smiled,

"Don't worry, I just took it. It's just a low fever and should go down now that it's in my system. But, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." Sieko raised an eyebrow and tucked a piece of curly red hair behind her ear, waiting for him to continue. The captain motioned for Seiko to sit down, and she obliged. "I don't know what it is, but I know your family seal anywhere. If their calling for you, it must be important." Captain Ukitake said, pulling a purple envelope sealed with black wax and her unmistakable family seal out of the sleeve of his shihakusho. With careful hands, Seiko took it. It had been many years since the family itself sent word directly to her; If they ever needed anything, they would usually just go through her mother or father. The letter inside is one she had dreaded getting:

_Miss Seiko Muramba,_

_ We request your attendance tomorrow, December 23rd, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss family matters. Failure to attend could be devastating._

Seiko sighed and crumpled the note. She hated going to meetings with the family council. Last time she was there, they wanted to remove her from the Academy. That went over like a ton of bricks.

"It could be anything. I just think its strange that the council didn't send word through my parents. What could be important enough to send a notice directly to my place of work? It's not like I wouldn't get it." I thought of every possible answer about why they would want to contact me, but none of them ended well.


	3. What Happens Now

Seiko stood nervously outside the main house of Muramba. It had been a few years since she stood outside this noble home; It was often when she would get in trouble as a child that she was required to return to this darkened house. Seiko was unnerved to say the least. She ran through every possible reason to be called back to the main house, let alone required to meet with the clan's council, but most of her scenarios ending in doing her 'duty' as the heir to the Muramba household.

It's not like she wanted the position; Oh, she hated the Muramba name. Since birth, she had been groomed to take over the house, to eventually marry another noble, and produce kin for their clan. It all disturbed her. Silently, Seiko had always prayed that the head of the clan, her uncle Akio, would produce a child with his wife...but deemed impossible due to her extremely poor health. With no other option, Aiko's brother, Fukumu, had already produced a child, who had eligibility to become the heir: Sieko Muramba. Since then, Seiko knew she had to perform the duties assigned to her, though she detested every decision of the clan that secured her fate to follow in her Uncle's footsteps. The only battle she had actually won against the council was when they hadn't wanted her to go into the Academy due to the fear of losing their only possible heir. However, Seiko stood her ground with them. If they wanted to take her life and her choices away, they had better give her some damn good compensation, and that compensation would be allowing her to become a soul reaper.

Seiko's mind shot back to the Muramba estate as a servant approached her,

"Seiko Muramba is it? The council awaits your entry." The servant smiled at her happily, his long dark locks hanging to just above the poor man's shoulders which attached to the skinny arms peering out from beneath his kimono. Seiko just nodded coldly, as she had been taught by Akio to do towards servants, and followed the skinny male. She felt bad for being so mean and...unemotional? towards the man, but if she was to follow in Akio's footsteps, she had to act just as he did towards those in lower positions. It upheld the hierarchy of the clan; gave depth and reality to those who opposed the levels of superiority. This was another thing Seiko hated.

After a few minutes of walking through the vast hallways of the head house, the servant stopped in front of a familiar large set of doors, "Right this way-" Seiko cut him off with a wave of her hand, a pang of guilt flowing through her body. She knew this was the council room. There was no need for the servant to tell her.

She entered to the sight of a round table surrounded by the council, including her uncle and both her parents.

"Hello, Seiko." Uncle Akio welcomed with a hearty smile. Yes, he was a cruel man when it came to business but his niece was a totally different story. Seiko bowed, "Hello, Uncle." She sat in the only remaining chair, which was clearly left for her. After being seated, Akio's smile widened just a bit too large and his eyes gleamed with something unreadable,

"I bet you're wondering why you were summoned, Seiko." A small nod confirmed her Uncle's question, so he continued, "As you know, you are the only heir to the Muramba clan, and therefore must continue your duties to honor our name." Again, she nodded, unsure to where he was going with this, as he was repeating what she had already been told countless times. Akio stood from his seat and circled around until he was behind Seiko, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. What he was about to say would probably break this poor girl, but she had to do it for the clan, just as he had. "Seiko, you're responsibilities do not only extend from your behavior but also your relationships..." Seiko clenched her jaw,

"What are you trying to say, Uncle..." she asked nervously through her tightened teeth, still trying to act as politely as she could. He just looked into her eyes, sorrow deep within his soul. He really did feel bad...

"Seiko, you are to be married."

Time seemed to stop; Seiko knew that this would one day come, but...not so soon! Her breath caught. Her hands began to shake. Married? Like...husband and wife? She stood so quickly that those who sat closest to her jumped in surprise. Akio's hand, still on her shoulder tightened slightly, "It must be done."

Seiko's shock turned into anger at those words. "I won't do it."

Akio's eyebrows raised. He had expected this from his temperamental niece.

"I won't do it." Seiko repeated louder. Murmurs arose throughout the council room. For a moment, Seiko thought about letting loose what she thought about this plan, but her father calmly stood and took Seiko's arm, pulling her back to reality,

"I think she is just in shock. Let her mother and I make sure she knows what must be done." Fukaku said smoothly, quieting the whispers between the other council member. Akio looked from his brother to his fierce niece before nodding; there was no way he was going to try a battle of tongues with the cunning and angered young woman. Fukaku's grip tightened on Seiko's arm; She could feel a bruise forming where his finger's clutched. Then, he practically pulled her out of the room, followed quickly by her graceful mother.

Fukaku opened the door to an empty study and drug Seiko inside,

"This is your duty. You have been specially groomed for this, and the way you acted in there was completely unacceptable." Fukaku began, letting go of Seiko's arm harshly, "Perhaps being with the soul reapers had made you forget about who you are." Anger bubbled inside of Seiko, but she knew to hold her tongue against this man; He could get abusive when angered, and the last thing she needed was to have her mother bear witness to another one of her father's outbursts. "I knew we should have never let you join the Academy. If you hadn't, you would have been able to focus more on being the heir rather than running around playing sword games! You would be more prepared for this, and you certainly would not have acted the way you did inside that council room!" Fukaku seemed to get more angry by the second, "You really are a disgrace to this clan, but by marrying Byakuya Kuchiki, hopefully you will learn your place within this family."

Seiko's eyes dilated. There was no way...She had just seen him this morning! "B-byakuya Kuchiki?"

Fukaku glared at his young and naive daughter, "Yes, Byakuya Kuchiki. You will be married in a matter of days. He will arrive in the next hour to complete the engagement process, and I expect you to have this behavioral outburst handled." With that, he turned on his heels and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Seiko allowed her tears to fall, only to be wiped away by her beloved mother's slender and perfectly painted fingers.

"It will be okay, my dear," She said calmly, wiping the poor girl's tears, "It seems like so much to take in now, and there will be many changes in the coming weeks, but all will be well."

Seiko had no choice but to look into her mother's beautiful blue eyes and hope what she ways saying would hold true. A moment passed before Seiko ordered her tears to stop, leaving the mother with nothing more to do. "I will be waiting in the council room with your father for Captain Kuchiki. Then, we can all finish the final agreements of the engagement. Take all the time you need to clean up." Her mother gave Seiko a soft smile and kiss on the forehead before exiting the room, leaving Seiko to her own thoughts.

_'There is no way I can deal with this! I can't do it! I won't!' _

Before she knew what she was doing, Seiko opened the nearest window and raced out into the falling snow.


	4. Captain's Comfort

Captain Ukitake jumped as his lieutenant burst through the doors of his personal office. Tears streaked the usually happy girl's cheeks. "What's wrong-"

"I don't want to marry him!" Seiko wailed, standing with her fists to her eyes in an attempt to wipe away the endless waterfall of tears. She had no clue why she had come here, of all places...Seiko just needed someone she truly trusted right now. She took a few ragged breaths, and within moments, her Captain had his strong slender arms around her, trying to give what little comfort he could,

"Seiko...marry whom?" She shook her head under the Captain's embrace, too stunned to move. Her mind was running a thousand times faster than normal, and she almost couldn't bring herself to force his name out of her mouth.

"Captain Kuchiki..." she finally gasped, curling her fingers into Captain Ukitake's white haori. The Captain blinked, stunned. He certainly hadn't expected Seiko to come crying into his office tonight, but to say she was going to marry Byakuya Kuchiki was unfathomable! Byakuya hadn't even as much as _looked_ at another woman since the loss of his beloved wife, much less get to know one enough to marry. But, then again, if it were mutual, his bubbly lieutenant would not be here now, clinging to his clothes like a vice whilst sobbing her eyes out.

"Calm down, Seiko..." Captain Ukitake murmured, trying to sooth the distraught woman, "It's going to be okay. Whatever happened, it's going to be okay..." Seiko took a few deep breaths before pulling out of Ukitake's arms, still sniffling. Her face was blood red and her eyes were puffy. Tear streaks had covered her entire cheeks. It pained Captain Ukitake to see his friend and co-worker in such a state. He took his lieutenant by the hand and sat her on the sofa that was against the far wall of his office, "Now, tell me exactly what's going on".

"M-my parents..." she stopped for a moment, almost as if she were afraid to admit what was happening to her, "...the clan's council...They agreed to have me in an arranged marriage " Seiko's eyes brimmed with more tears, "How am I supposed to marry the Cold Captain, let alone have a child, a god-damned heir, with him?! We're supposed to conceive a child, Ukitake-san! It's what I was made for! How can I have sex with someone I don't love?! He's so cold!" Tears spilled once again over her cheeks as she sobbed quietly. Ukitake didn't know what to do. He just pulled her to his chest and leaned back, letting the younger sob to her heart's content. It wasn't long until Seiko seemed to tire herself out, falling into a deep and tired sleep on Ukitake's chest.

She woke the next morning to a stream of sunlight in her face. Damn, her head felt like someone had bashed it in. Her surroundings were a shock for a moment; Seiko had forgotten about coming back to the office. Then, it all came crashing down on her again: She was to marry Byakuya Kuchiki. A sad and frustrated sigh escaped Seiko's lips as she stood from the sofa. Her back popped multiple times, and her muscles felt stiff as a board. None of that mattered anymore; Seiko's entire life was about to change in just a matter of days and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Felling better?" Seiko jumped as her Captain entered the room, two steaming cups of tea in his hands. He chuckled softly, holding out one of the cups to the woman, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Seiko gave a weak smile and grasped the cup,

"It's okay, Captain. I was just thinking. But, yes, I suppose I do feel a little bit better, even if I'm still quite worried about this marriage situation." Seiko grimaced at the word 'marriage'. Ukitake's smile faltered for a second. His heart went out to the lieutenant. They had been together for a few years, and had grown quite close. He worried for her sanity. This was going to change everything; her way of living, the way society looked at her, even the way that her and Byakuya would be _forced_ to interact with each other in public. By now, the entire Seireitei had heard and already knew of the upcoming wedding...and in just two days. Ukitake hated that Seiko's life was, in his eyes, being stripped away because of some family name. It was unfair.

"Captain?" Seiko's voice penetrated Ukitake's thoughts. He snapped his head in her direction,

"What did you say? I must have spaced out." Seiko just smiled softly and sipped her tea. Ukitake thought how hard it must be for her to smile at him right now.

"I just asked if it would be okay if I headed to the barrack showers. I'm not too sure I want to walk back into my house at the moment. I sorta, kinda...was supposed to have a meeting with Byakuya when I ran out of the main house. I was in too much shock to go..." She shuddered at the thought of her father's anger. He was a cold man. Colder than Byakuya at times, if that was even possible. Nothing but money and power mattered to him, and Seiko's marriage to Byakuya would certainly bring in both to the family. Even her mother, as nice and sweet as she was, still held onto money and power to feel good. It sickened Sieko how disrupted her parents were. Captain Ukitake raised an eyebrow,

"Don't you think your family as well as the Kuchiki's are looking for you. I mean...this is all sort of a big deal, Seiko, and running away from it will only cause problems." Seiko glared at Ukitake for a moment, but pulled it back from her face as she remembered how kind he was. The Captain didn't deserve any anger; Ukitake was always a cheerful and friendly guy who helped however he could, but he would not be able to get her out of this situation. If anything was going to be done, it would have to be by her hand.

"I know they probably are, which is why I want to avoid them" Ukitake opened his mouth to say something, but Seiko cut him off, "I'm only going to avoid them until I'm cleaned up again. I plan to voice my opinion to the person who matters: Byakuya Kuchiki. He is the head of the Kuchiki clan. There must be something I can say to him to get all of this to stop!" Captain Ukitake just shrugged lightly,

"You can try...but until then, go take a shower. You're going to need to be clean if you're going to meet with the Captain of squad six." Seiko smiled and gave Ukitake a 'thank you' before exiting quickly, hopeful that things could change. However, Ukitake knew there was nothing that Seiko could do or say that would get the Kuchiki family to change their mind. That loomed over the sickly Captain as an omen, but he certainly wasn't going to say anything to Seiko. _'She might as well have a little faith' _the Captain thought before shutting his office door and flopping down on the sofa, already exhausted.


	5. Devil's Deal

Byakuya sat in the garden, watching his breath float from his open mouth. The flowers and bushes of his beloved sanctuary were covered in a thick layer of snow, and he detested it. His reddened nose throbbed from the cold, and after one final gaze, Byakuya turned and began a slow trek to the Kuchiki house. His fiance...or soon to be fiance, would be arriving any moment to talk about the terms of their marriage. She had sent a hell-butterfly ahead of her, apologizing for not showing up at the clan's council the day before, stating that she had been overwhelmed by the news, but was now ready to discuss the agreements with him. Byakuya had shrugged it off, not honestly believing that she would have shown up after being told the news, anyway. From his observations, Lieutenant Muramba was a fiery woman who made her opinions and thoughts quite known. From the grumbles he had heard throughout the council room, she hadn't agreed to their arranged marriage as well as he did. Byakuya stopped momentarily and thought back to earlier the day before, when he himself had found out the news of their marriage.

"I am to be WHAT?" Byakuya uncharacteristically raised his voice towards his grandfather. Ginrei Kuchiki watched his grandson's cool demeanor change before his eyes. It was to be expected. He loved his dear grandson, and the anguish that crossed Byakuya's face pained Ginrei's heart. However, Byakuya being the head of the clan, Ginrei understood the purpose of this arranged marriage, though he didn't particularly like it. His grandson had not looked for a new woman since the death of Hisana, and an heir needed to be produced. It was that simple, but it was not simple to Byakuya.

"You are to be married, Byakuya." Ginrei repeated, "You know as well as I do that the clan is becoming impatient. They need an heir to satisfy their fears, and you are the only one who can provide that. I'm sorry, but it is your duty as the Kuchiki head." The old man brushed a hand over his long mustache, "It was to be expected..."

Byakuya took a calming breath and tried to rationalize what was happening. First, he and Sieko Muramba were to be married in three days. Secondly, he knew nothing more than the girl's face, and yet they were supposed to be thrown together and live as a seemingly happy family, including having kids and the whole nine yards. Third, he still loved Hasana deeply. Forth...he wasn't ready to be married to anyone. The last part made him grit his teeth. Yes, it had been many years since Hasana's unfortunate death, and the Kunchiki clan had certainly given him plenty of space after her passing...But now they were ordering him to be remarried out of fear of not having an heir? Where was the love in that? Byakuya believed marriage was to be between two people who loved each other, which contradicted with his belief of order and law. However, his love for Hasana had overrun his love for rules, and he did not want to marry anyone he didn't love...that he _couldn't_love. Byakuya wasn't ready to remarry, and certainly not ready to produce an heir.

_'But it is my duty...' _he reminded himself._ 'I must do it for the clan.' _

And so, straightening his back and lifting his chin and meeting his grandfather's gaze dead on, Byakuya accepted his fate to the marriage of Seiko Muramba.

By the time Byakuya had finished his thoughts, his legs had brought him inside the Kuchiki residence. It was warm inside the massive house, and he appreciated it being so. The cold outside had sure left a nipping at his nose. Byakuya entered the small tea room, where he would meet Lieutenant Muramba officially and sign the contract for their marriage It would describe the binding of the two households and require Seiko and Byakuya to have two children; One as the Muramba heir and one as the Kuchiki's. It was a ridiculous clause, in Byakuya's opinion. He didn't want to have one child with this woman, let alone two.

"Um...Captain Kuchiki?" A servant asked tentatively, peeking his head in the door and interrupting Byakuya's thoughts. Byakuya barely looked at the poor boy,

"What is it?"

"Lieutenant Muramba is here to see you."

Byakuya nodded and the boy left. After a few moments, he returned with the future Mrs. Kuchiki. Byakuya had a hard time thinking about that.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Muramba. Please, take a seat. Would you like some tea?" Byakuya asked politely. Seiko sat down on one of the plush pillows and nodded politely.

"Yes, please. Thank you for allowing me to meet with you under these circumstances." Seiko looked across the table at the man pouring her tea. His movements were so graceful...so elegant. His hair was pulled into the normal fashion with the Kuchiki clan's kenseikan put into place. His beautiful face was perfect; Byakuya's skin looked as if he never had a blemish his entire life. Even from over his shikakusho, she could tell that the Captain had many curved and built muscles. He probably had chizzled abs and that V-shaped muscle that led to his...

No, she could not fall for his looks. She was here to do business. No, just no.

Byakuya had noticed the way Seiko was watching him. He shrugged it off; Most women occasionally checked him out, undressing him with their eyes. He had become quite immune to the stares. However, while she was looking at him, Byakuya had the chance to examine his future wife.

He had to admit, Seiko was not a bad looking woman by any means. She was short, he gave her that, but everything else struck his fancy. Her hair came down in long curly red waves that landed just above her pert bottom. Oh, he certainly had noticed that before. Her lips were full and plump and her eyes were an odd shade of brown with specs of gold. Even her body was a show of near perfection with curves in all the right places. But, still, Byakuya knew he could never love this woman; He would never allow himself to love anyone other than Hisana. No amount of attractiveness could be enough to break his carefully protected icey heart.

Byakuya cleared his throat and set the contract on the table along with a pen,

"Have you been made aware of the conditions of this contract?" Seiko nodded and took a sip of the tea, watching Byakuya carefully.

"I'm not here to sign it, though." Byakuya froze momentarily. Again, he had predicted she would say something to that effect.

"And why not, Lieutenant Muramba?" His eyes angled in curiosity. Did she have any idea what this would do for their families? Did she understand that as the heir to the Muramba house, this was her duty? Did she care that by not signing the contract meant disgrace upon her family's noble name, as well as his?

"I'm sure you're asking yourself if I'm insane, ne?" Seiko asked smoothly, setting her tea down. "I'm not here to deny the contract. I just want to know if there is anything that we can do to not be married." Byakuya watched with curiosity as her words began flowing from her mouth, "And, I want to know the benefits of this marriage, as well as the downfalls. I want to know where we would be living, and the time allotted to have a child, and above all else..." She hesitated, "I want to know if you could ever learn to love me."

Byakuya sat quietly as Seiko rambled over everything she wanted answers to. This woman obviously wanted to know everything about this marriage before it even began. But the last part struck him.

"Well, unfortunately, there is no way we can get out of being married. It was decided by the councils of both of our families. We cannot back out now. It is our duties as heirs." Seiko cringed slightly, hating the words coming out of his mouth. She had hoped that as the head of the Kuchiki family, there was something, anything, he could do to stop this marriage from happening. He was her only chance...

"The benefits would be the use of the entire Kuchiki estate, which is where you would be living. That was a question of yours, ne? I do not believe we have a time allotment to have a child, just as long as we do." His words interrupted her frustrated thoughts. With each word, Seiko felt herself lose more and more hope. Byakuya took a sip of his own tea before answering the last question. Could he learn to love this woman? Absolutely not. "And, no, I do not believe I could never learn to love you." This made Seiko cringe more than anything else Byakuya had said. This mean that she would be stuck with the cold-hearted captain forever...

"And what about the downfalls of getting married?" Seiko asked, quieter than she normally would have. Byakuya shrugged slightly,

"Loss of freedom, never having the chance to love and be loved, having a child with a complete stranger...you name it. However, Lieutenant," Byakuya picked up the pen and held it towards Seiko, reason resonating in his gaze that caught her eye. He looked absolutely serious, and it frightened her, "It is our duty to follow what the council requires. We can learn to get along. After a few weeks, we will learn each others schedules: When the other wakes up, when they prefer to take their shower, the time required at our respective squads, and what we enjoy doing in our free time. Eventually, we will learn how we like our clothes placed and how many lumps of sugar we like in our coffee and what side of the bed we prefer We will also learn what is pleasurable to each other, and have a child we will both take care off. Everything is not at a loss. It is just something we must do to keep our clans strong. Just remember that you are not the only one being caught within this web; You will always have someone by your side just as trapped as you are. Perhaps that will give you some sort of comfort. "

Byakuya was right. No matter how much Seiko hated it, he was right. It was her duty by the name she hated to marry this cold and calculating man...But perhaps it would not be so different than her current life. That was all Seiko could hope for.

She took the pen from Byakuya with trembling fingers and signed _Seiko Muramba_ at the bottom, sealing her fate to this man. Nothing she had ever learned about being a noble could prepare her for this moment...the moment she signed her life away.


	6. Wedding Day

**Welcome back to Frozen Roses! I'm sorry it took so long to update. Thanksgiving break and being out of school has really messed with my schedule and creative-writing time. So, here's a piece I hope you all enjoy, because it took forever (and a LOT of butt-glue on a chair) to push this one out. Thank all of you for the wonderful reviews! That is what keeps me going on this story when times like these happen and I lose a part of my creative muse.**

**Tite Kubo owns Bleach. I own my OC, Seiko Muramba. **

**Feel free to R&R!**

Byakuya sighed silently as his personal servants finished the small touches on his formal kimono. Their hands quickly glazing over the outfit to reduce all wrinkles and imperfections; everything had to be in place. Every hair had been combed from his face and pinned back as necessary and the navy blue kimono that was wrapped around his body had been ironed multiple times to insure perfection. Even his nails had been manicured. The servants did all in their power to make sure Byakuya looked pristine. After all, this was the day their master was getting married.

Byakuya waved the servants off with an icy glare, needing a few moments to be by himself and collect his nerves. The Kuchiki head was not a man of insecurities, but the idea of becoming one with a woman other than Hasana made him feel queasy...

'Hasana, please forgive me for what I am about to do. Watch over me as you have been and please understand that I must remarry for the sake of the clan...You will always be in my heart, my dearest Hasana.' He prayed silently, hoping for Hasana to give him the courage to say 'I do' without wavering. A gentle knock on the doorframe caused Byakuya's attention to fall upon the large man, leader of the Muramba clan.

"Come in." Byakuya said, turning to face the elder who was dressed especially for the occasion of his niece's wedding.

"Captain Kuchiki," Akio greeted warmly despite his distaste for the younger man, "You look divine. Seiko is in luck to be marrying such a handsome fellow as yourself." Byakuya nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing his statements. Yes, he knew he looked good. He always did. But for Seiko to be lucky as to marry him? That was yet to be determined.

"You look well, yourself, Akio." Byakuya replied. Akio gave a slight nod of approval, though it would not have been noticed to anyone who had not been trained to read others body language to the extent that nobles were forced to. Akio was accepting Byakuya's compliment a formality between high-ranking society members, and knew it was only said out of politeness and not sincerity. "I hope you are prepared for today's festivities."

"Oh, I am. It is Seiko, I fear, who will not be. She's a bit of a firecracker. Although she means well, her emotions tend to get the better of her, but, you know how it goes with women on their wedding day; they're nervous and antsy until they walk down the aisle. Then, reality hits them." Akio commented, clasping his hands behind his sturdy back, "And that is what I have come to talk to you about, Byakuya Kuchiki. You understand that my niece has had no intention of marrying you since the beginning, correct?" Akio waited calmly as Byakuya nodded, crossing his arms smoothly,

"And neither did I. I fail to see the point of this confrontation."

"Of course you don't, my dear boy." Akio crossed the room, stepping close enough to the dark-haired man to intimidate, but not to become socially unacceptable, "Seiko is a fragile woman and she has been forced into a life she never asked for since her birth. I know you have been as well, however you are emotionally and mentally stronger than she is. You can take anything she throws your way, but she will not be able to handle what you retaliate with. You may not see this marriage as a life-changing experience, but hers will be tossed upside down. Be there for her, and I guarantee she will be there for you. But make her fear or distrust you and she will leave. I know my niece, and she will not take any of your...how did she state it? 'Bullshit', I believe it was. I warn you here and now, Byakuya Kuchiki, that if you harm my niece, there will be great debts to pay on your part."

Akio's threat rang in Byakuya's ears even after the older man had left. He wasn't afraid, per say, but he knew that there would be dire consequences if he hurt Seiko in any way, and that was too bothersome to have to deal with.

"You look beautiful," Byakuya whispered, feeling the need to compliment the seemingly well-put-together woman, however, he knew she was devastated inside. The young redhead just nodded in acknowledgement. They stood before the alter and the entirety of both of their families, being watched upon like hawks. Any sudden movement and the two were certain they would be destroyed by the opposite clan. Seiko gulped quietly and suppressed an urge to glare ever-so-slightly at the man who now held one of her gloved hands in his. No, the arranged marriage wasn't Byakuya's fault, and she had accepted this fact. However, she was still angry at him for doing absolutely nothing to stop this, as well as herself for the same neglect. They had both allowed their families to control them, and now this was the price they had to pay. Although mental turmoil was shaking her cool facade, Seiko was truly grateful that Byakuya had taken the effort to make her feel more at peace in her skin. Unfortunately, the only thing that would make her more comfortable in her current position would be to take a long, long bath!

Seiko remembered arguing with her mother prior to the ceremony about the amount of makeup that she was being forced to wear. The foundation made her skin too tight and the eyeliner kept making her eyes water. Mascara pulled her lashes till it hurt, and even then, they distracted her every time she looked around and felt heavy. The lipstick tasted like clay. She felt the rouge made her look like a child's doll. Even her hair, which was pinned back into a loose, elegant bun with tiny diamond-like jewels embedded in it, felt incredibly fake. Seiko was nervous about her wedding kimono. It had been tailored to her body the day before, and even though it wasn't necessarily tight, she felt her chest was far too exposed, unlike her shihakusho, which covered nearly her entire body. The glistening-white fabric felt like a cage; the beauty was just the facade of entrapment. Even the ornate necklace, a Kuchiki heirloom, that hung right above her breast felt as if it weighed her down. She just wanted to rip it off and never look at it again. Seiko had gazed at herself in the mirror, assessing each part of her body for a full twenty minutes before she gave up trying to change anything her mother had done.

A quick squeeze of her hand brought Seiko back to reality. Byakuya's gaze was held firmly on hers, as if to say, "Stop daydreaming. We have business."

However, Byakuya was assessing Seiko as well. He had to admit, she looked quite beautiful; His compliment was far from the polite lie that he usually told to other nobles. Her gown fit well, her makeup was okay, though a bit too dark in his opinion. He was never one for heavy makeup, if any, and by his fiancé's twitching of the face, he was sure that Seiko wasn't too pleased with it either. At least they had one thing in common. Her hair glistened in the sunlight from their outdoor wedding, shining a brilliant auburn. Byakuya had never seen a color so vibrant before on another woman. But what he _had_ seen prior to this day shocked him; it was the necklace that hung low on her neck. Byakuya had to hold back a gasp of surprise, which was extremely, extremely rare for the Captain. It was the necklace Hasana had worn on their wedding day. He should have known Seiko would wear it; it was a family heirloom after all and all new brides of the noble Kuchiki clan wore it, passing down from generation to generation. However, he was not prepared for the sudden emotions that one piece of jewelry brought back...

Byakuya had to take an inaudible deep breath before turning and facing the minister to begin the ceremony as well as distract himself from the painful memories of doing this same action before, but with the woman he loved.

The ceremony went by without any disruptions, and less than an hour later, Byakuya and Seiko Kuchiki were being ushered into a large room to change for their reception. The door closing behind one of the Kuchiki servants echoed in both of their ears as they were left in solitude. Silence enveloped them.

"..." Seiko opened her mouth to say something, _anything_, that would make this moment less awkward, so she said the first thing that came to mind,

"Can you untie my dress? I can't do it by myself..." Her face flushed a bright red. _'Seriously?! Is that all you can come up with?! No 'So, we're husband and wife now, huh?' or 'You looked nice today.' or anything?! God damn it, Seiko, you really are a dunce.'_

Across the room, where Byakuya had chosen to claim a separate corner as his changing area, eyes flew up. Was she joking? Seiko was wearing a similar kimono as himself, and the tie was easily accessible in the _front_. Seiko cringed as she thought about what could be running through Byakuya's mind. She half expected him to blow up in her face about being a stupid, insolent, wanton of a woman. To her surprise, Byakuya just turned away from her and began his own undressing.

"I-" Seiko stopped herself, afraid to allow her mouth to betray her again, and turned towards her own corner, changing into the slightly shorter and less elaborate reception gown that had also been sewn onto her the day prior. It was tee-length with embroidered silver roses and a silver sash to match. She glanced in the mirror, pulling out the wrinkles in the fine material. She then gingerly ran her fingers over the fine necklace that hung at her throat. Her fingers had barely touched the jewelry when the tall shadow of her fiancé- oh, husband, loomed over her,

"Seiko, give me that necklace."

Seiko pulled her hand away at the snap of her name, feeling like a kid who just got her hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Oh...um, sure, Captain Kuchiki-"

"No need to call me 'Captain' in privacy. Just give me that necklace. It is only to be worn during the wedding, and only then." This was a downright lie, but the cold-hearted Captain would never admit to that. He just wanted the thing off of that woman's neck. It didn't belong there. It didn't fit. It brought back too many painful memories.

"Here Byakuya." Seiko offered the delicate necklace quietly to the raven-haired man, who took it and set it gently atop his stack of wedding clothes. The reception outfit he wore was not too different from his original wedding attire; however it was admittedly more comfortable. An awkward silence ensued between the two. Seiko began wringing her hands nervously as she tried to break the silence.

"B-Byakuya, I didn't mean for it to come out that way." Seiko continued after the dark-haired Captain raised an eyebrow in confusion, "The whole untying my dress thing...I was just trying to lighten the mood and said the first thing that popped to my mind. I suppose I look kind of stupid now, but...It wasn't supposed to come out that way."

Byakuya gazed at the redhead and nodded,

"Sometimes things slip out. You're lucky it was only me who heard it. See to it that it never happens again."

"Hai."

**Thank you for reading chapter 6 of this story! I am having a bit of difficulty figuring out what to write about next. It could be Byakuya's and Seiko's first full day together as a married couple, or they can go back to work and we see how they interact and spill how each other feels to their friends, or any other suggestions...I have plans, but I'm not sure how to set them into motion yet. Please review to let me know what you think or if you have another topic that would be a cool idea :) I'm totally open! **


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